


The Shove

by saving_grace44



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-14 00:01:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20591309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saving_grace44/pseuds/saving_grace44
Summary: A little drabble about a conversation that happened after the Utah/Portland game last week. Mentions of other players.





	The Shove

“You shoved her. Two hands, back turned to you, shove” the brunette breathed into her phone with a small smirk on her face as she watched a replay over and over on her tablet. It was the only light source in her bedroom, as her body was exhausted after 90 minutes of play that was full of more defending than she had done all season, as well as mental edge to the game she hadn’t felt since the World Cup, and a victory. Which always felt good, but this one felt different. 

A sigh came through the receiving end, “I prefer to call it delicate displacement fueled by passionate rage.” A giggle couldn’t help but surface out of the brunette as she lay in the darkness. She knew the woman on the other end had a sly smile on her face. 

“Oh, Tobin, I love you.” She breathes the words out almost like a prayer. It was hardly the first time the two women had said those three words to each other and God willing it would hardly be there last, but there was something about the moment they were occupying. One of them, alone in a bed which had been previously shared among them. And the other, waiting in an airport terminal for a flight taking her back to their real home in Portland, after they just battled each other on the pitch. Their love knew no bounds, limits, miles, or uniforms. 

“I’m oddly glad to hear you say that Chris...” the traveling woman responded lightly, “I know you get worried about my temper on the field.” There was only one time when Christen was really worried about Tobin’s temper. Usually the midfielder kept herself in check, except for the time that during Christen’s 100 cap game one of her PKs got called back. In fact, Becky had to grab her uniform to make sure Tobin didn’t regret her pursuit of the referee. 

Christen adjusted her position in bed slightly, knowing the conversation was turning in a more serious direction. “You’re passionate about the game, T. I can’t fault you for that. I’m passionate, too, just confrontation is totally not my thing.” She can’t help but to remember her frustration as she felt Sonnett’s hands wrap around her shoulders, bringing her down to the pitch just as she was about to make a run after her own lifting touch. People couldn’t keep up with her on these runs and everyone knew it. But the second she was free of the young defenders grasp and was up on her own two feet, she let out a breath and with the breath her frustration left as well. “I get what you were feeling. You just wanted to win…. I just wanted you to stay on the field. I shouldn’t have yelled at you, that’s not my place in that situation.” She always found it difficult to be on opposing teams as her girlfriend.

Tobin sighed again, a little louder and a little more exasperated this time, “It wasn’t just about the fact that we were losing, Chris, or that you said anything to me. It’s always more than that. With you it’s always more than that.” 

“With me? What does that mean?” Now she found herself sitting completely upright in bed, waiting for her girlfriend to flesh out her feelings. 

Christen waited patiently, knowing Tobin was never the strongest at articulating her feelings. Christen knew that times like this were tough on the young couple, they thrived when they were together, and became exhausted when they were apart. From having to separate...again…from having to live their life, their shared life, phone call to phone call, FaceTime to FaceTime, and random visits that were too short to be filling. All they got were moments, usually surrounded by teammates, meetings, photo shoots, fans, or media. Tiny moments where Tobin was just hers and no one else’s. And there are moments, much like tonight, where Tobin remembers Christen hasn’t always been hers. 

“When Em took you down, my heart lodged in my throat. Seeing you hit the ground, seeing your body whip around, it was like my world started moving in slow motion. Even though I knew she was going to catch you and slow your fall, even though I knew you know how to take contact like that, even though I knew the second you threw both hands up you were getting your call, the idea of you getting hurt is too much. I can hardly handle it when I’m watching through a screen, but being 25 yards away and not being the one to pick you up and check on you and having to let her...other people help you, I don’t know...it’s hard for me.”

“Tobin…”

“...and then when I saw her holding Amy back and when I saw Sonnett looking dumbfounded by A-Rods verbal attack, I felt like I finally had a chance to do something for someone. Even if that someone couldn’t be you. If I can’t defend you, can’t celebrate with you, can’t wear the same uniform as you, then I need to take advantage of when people do need me...”

Christen felt a lump beginning to grow in her throat as she listened to her girlfriend spill her guts out. 

“Then I heard your voice, telling me to stop, and I heard you calling my name as I looked into her eyes, and I couldn’t help but to wonder how many times you’ve called her out on the field when you needed her in the past. All those games that you shared with her on the pitch in the same uniform. Away from the bright lights and the pressure, where you found your love for the game again...with her”

Christen was worried the conversation would go this way. She knew that no matter how confident Tobin was in herself or in their relationship, that her sharing a team with her ex-girlfriend was not easy for Tobin to handle. Christen can’t really blame her - she has no idea how she would react if week after week Tobin trained, played, and hung out with Shirley. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her girlfriend, but she was human after all.

“Tobin, she doesn’t mean…” she couldn’t finish her sentence, before Tobin quickly cut her off.

“Wait, Chris, let me just get this off my chest or I might never say it." Christen fell silent on the other line, knowing that moments like this were few and far between for her girlfriend. Tobin took a breath and continued "I just couldn’t help but think that there were times when you were looking out for her on the pitch, and I don’t know, it made me jealous. But, the second I “delicately displaced her” and finished yelling at A-Rod. I caught your eyes, they were gray and steely, the eyes that I know are only meant for me, and even in that moment. A moment when your teammate was on the ropes after taking a hit that you took 10 minutes earlier. In that moment when you could have been drawing a line in the sand about how we are supposed to behave when we compete. In that moment when you could have gotten so angry that I pushed Vero because we all knew it wasn’t just about A-Rod and Sonny. In that moment, your eyes found me and told me to calm down, to re-set, to change my mindset. They also told me you loved me when they flashed to green and that those eyes are always looking for me, regardless of what color uniform I wear or whoever is on your team.”

Christen let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, “You got all that from my eyes.”

“Well, my love, I spent 2 years getting hopelessly lost in them when I couldn’t tell you how I felt, so yeah, I get a lot from your eyes. I am a Christen Press eye expert.”

It never ceases to amaze her how quickly Tobin could make her heart flutter. How effortlessly her girlfriend’s words impacted her state of being. The words making her feel other worldly, in a way that only Tobin could. 

“I’ll only ever have eyes for you, Tobin Heath.”

The other girl hummed in content, “So, let’s talk about this shove. Admit it - it turned you on.”

And, just like that, Christen was brought back to Earth.

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing a fic for this fandom. I intend to post more, but who knows! Hope you like it.


End file.
